Pike-Sheldon House
Why it's listed
This wood-frame house at 406 South Third Street in Monmouth, Illinois, was built about 1841 for Samuel Pike as a two-story, four-room I-house. By 1868 a one-story south wing had been added for Wilson Sheldon, and the building was turned to face the street, creating an Upright and Wing form. The older section is an early example of balloon frame construction, with a limestone foundation, clapboard siding, cornice returns suggesting a temple pediment, and Greek Revival paneled doors and window trim. The wing carries Italianate-influenced woodwork. Original pine plank floors, early hardware and square nails survive. The house was restored in 1995, with later siding removed to reveal the original clapboards. Today the 1841 section serves as a historic house museum, and the wing is rented as an apartment. The house was listed for its architecture, as a good example of early Greek Revival construction of the 1840s in the Midwest.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant under Criterion C for architecture. It is one of the earliest surviving Monmouth homes and shows a shift from an I-house to an Upright and Wing form. It has Greek Revival elements, early balloon frame construction, and Italianate-influenced woodwork in the wing.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99000976, listed August 12, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 406 S. Third St., Monmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Warren County |
| Listed | August 12, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000976 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1841-c. 1868 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century; Other: Upright and wing (Greek Revival elements) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1995 and in good condition. The 1841 section is a nonprofit historic house museum and the 1868 wing is a rental apartment. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.90801, -90.64487 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99000976.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15266296
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.